Automatic electric signal.



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, F. E. wEmEL. AUTOMATIC 'ELECTRISIGNALL (Application med Mar. 26, 1901.) I ("0 dem 3 sheets-*sheet Tn: Nonms PETERS m7.. PN'JToun-lo.. WASHINGTON. u. c.

gno. Gamas. Patenfedlan. 2|,19o'2. F. E. .WEINEL AUTOMATIC ELECTRICSIGNL. mppuccio med mf. 2s, 1901.)

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- F. E. wElNEL.

lAUTIMATHP ELECTRIC SIGNAL.

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UNrTnD STATES lll-)ATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK E. WEINEL, OF APOLLO,

PENNSYLVANIA, Y ASSIGNOR OF ONE- AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC SIGNAL.'

srncirroarrou forming para of Letters Patent No. 691,683, dateauanuary 21,1902. Appnmion ie March ze, 1901.` serial No. 52,981. (No meer.)

To all whom it may concern,.-`

Beit known that I, FREDERICK E. WEINEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Apollo, in the county of Armstrong and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Automatic Electric Signal, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to block-signal systems for railways; and it has for its object to provide a construction wherein just before a train enters a block it will set a green light at the rear end of the block as a caution to following, trains and will set a red light at the front end of the block as a danger-signal to approaching trains.

A further object lof the invention is toprovide a construction wherein if an. engine be reversed while in a block the red light ahead will be changed to a green light, and the green light in the rear will vbe changed to a red light, other objects of the invention being to provide specific mechanism for shifting the lights and to provide a form of supporting-post for the lights in which may be contained the batteries, as also telephone instruments. l

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate lsimilar parts'in the several views, Figure 1 isl a'diagra'mmatic view 'showing portions of a single track including one complete block and the ends of adjacent blocks and equipped with the present signal mechanism. Fig. 2 is aview partly in sec tion and partly in elevation and showing theV equipment of a locomotive for making contact with the contact-rails interchangeably as the locomotive is reversed. Fig. 3 is a perspeetive view showing the trolleys for making contact with the conducting wires or rails. Fig. `4 is an elevation showing one of the signalposts. Fig. is a horizontal section through a signal-lantern. Fig. 6 is a vertical section through a signal lamp or lantern with parts thereof in elevation. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective View showing one of the levers carrying a portion of a signal-glass. Fig. 8 is a perspective View showing a fish-plate with its bond. j

Referring now to the drawings, 10 and 1l represent the rails of a railway which is ditions thereof are shown, and as illustrated at one end of each of the blocks is disposed a signal-post 12, upon which is disposed a signalmechanism including a cylindrical casing 13, at diametrically opposite points of which are formed openings 14; andY 15, provided with clear glasses 16 and 17, respectively, and Within the casing and in the line 6o of the openings is alamp 18, adjacent to Which are lenses 19 and 20. Two curved glasses 21 and 22 are provided for each open-l ing in the casing, the glass 21 being red and the glass 22 green, and yeach glass is mounted 65 at the end of a pivoted lever 23, having an armature 24 at the opposite end disposed in the field of force of an electromagnet, which when energized moves the lever to carry its glass into position between the correspond- 7o ing lens and the ,adjacent opening in the casing. The four magnets used for the four arms are shown at 25, 26, 27, and 28, and by energizing these magnets at the proper times a red light, a green light, or a white light may 7 5 be displayed up the track or down the track. To energize the electromagnet at the proper times, two contact-rails yare provided, one of which consists of sections 29, 30, and 3l and the other of sections 32, 33, and 34. The first 8o three sections'are of the rail used by a' locomotive going to the right, and the section 29 ends and section 30 begins just before the engine reaches the post 12 at the adjacent end of the block about to be entered, while Y the section 30 extends to a point near to the post 12' at the opposite end of the block and tions are for use of a train traveling to the 9o.

left, and the section 34 terminates just short ofV post 12', while section 33 runs near to post 12 and section 32 runs beyond post 12. The section 29 is electrically connected with the l magnet 27, that moves the red glass, and the opposite terminalof the winding of said magf net is connected with the track-rails,v whichv are bonded, this ground connection being made through a battery 34 Within the post. Thus a train moving to the right if it bridge 1o: from section 29 to a track-,rail will close the circuit of said battery through the magnet 27 to move the red glass to casta red light ahead as a danger-signal to an approaching train. The locomotive then reaches section 3l),which is electrically connected through wire 35 with magnet 27 of the mechanism on post 12', which magnet is grounded through a battery 36 and wire 37, which is connected with a railway-rail, and the red glass is shifted into position before the lamp to throwa red light up the track in the direction of movement of the locomotive, showing that the block is occupied. 'Ihe section 30 is also connected by a wire 3S with the magnet 26 of the mechanism on post 12, which magnet, as also all of the magnets of that mechanism, is connected with the track-rails by a wire 39 and battery 34, so that when the red signal is set ahead the green light that is moved by magnet 26 will be swung into position to show a green or caution signal to a following train. In the same manner when the train leaves section 30 and passes to section 31 a green cautionsignal is shown to the rear from post 12 and a danger-signal is shown ahead on the next post. (Not illustrated.) The section 34 is connected to the magnet 25 of mechanism on post 12', section 33 is connected to magnet 28 of mechanism on post 12 and magnet 25 of mechanism on post 12, and section 32 is connected to magnet 28 of mechanism on post 12 and the red magnet'of the mechanism of the next post. (Not illustrated.) In the same manner as above described, therefore, a train moving to the left will cause a red signal to be shown ahead when on section 34, will cause ared signal ahead on post 12 when on section 33 and agreen signal astern on post 12', and when on section 32 will show a green signal astern on post 12 and a red signal ahead on the next post.

In order to bridge between the contactrails and the track-rails, contact-rollers 40 and 4l are carried by the locomotive at the ends of rock-levers 42 and 43, mounted upon transverse shafts 44 beneath the boiler. A shaft 45 is disposed transversely of the locomotive and has crank-arms 46 and 47, to which are connected the links 48 and 4.9 of the link-motion of the locomotive through the medium of connecting-rods 50 and 51. The shaft 45 has other cranks 52 and 53, and these are connected, by means of connectingrods 54 and 55, with the upper ends of the rock-levers, so that when the links are in position for the locomotive to move in one direction one of the rollers will be in contact with one rail, and when the links are in their opposite positions the other roller will engage a contact-rail. Thus if at any time the locomotive be reversed the rollers will be shifted so as to reverse the signals of the block in which the locomotive is located.

In connection with this mechanism also there are' employed telephone instruments connected in series, the wires 70 for which are strung upon the signal-posts, and each of these posts is of sheet metal and hollow and has a set of telephone instruments located therein, as shown at 55', and the battery that is used to energize the magnets of the signal mechanism is also used for energizing the telephone-circuit, the telephone being connected with the battery in multiple with the magnets of the signal mechanism by means of the wires 7l and 72.

The bond for the rails consists of a copper or other soft-metal strip 60, which is embedded in a longitudinal groove 6l in the inner face of the sh-plate 62 and projects slightly from the edge of the groove, so that when the plate is in place against the ends of contiguous rails this strip will first make contact therewith. The bolt-holes 64 are formed through the strip and plate, and when the bolts are screwed up the strip is compressed against the faces of the rails and flows into the cavities of the rails to make intimate contact.

What is claimed isl. The combination with a locomotive and the link mechanism thereof, of rock-levers each having a contact-roller for engagement with a contact-rail, a counter-shaft, connections between the counter-shaft and rock-levers for moving the rollers into operative p0- sitions alternately, and connections between the counter-shaft and the link mechanism for oscillating the counter-shaft.

2. In a signaling system of the class described, the combination with the track-rails, and adjacent electromechanically-operated signaling mechanism forming a signaling station or section, of a battery situatedI at each station, electric circuits in which the battery, trackway and signaling mechanisms are included, means operable from a vehicle for closing said circuit, and a telephone situated at each station and having its primary energizing-circuit in communication with the battery, the secondary or line circuits of the telephones of each station in the system being connected in series.

3. A signal mechanism comprisingin combination, a lamp-casing having transparent sides, a lamp within the casing, a pairof curved colored glasses arranged within the casing and movable to positions in line with the transparent sides thereof, a lever for each of said glasses, a spindle on which said levers are mounted, an armature carried by or forming part of each lever, an electromagnet for operating each armature, and an independent electric circuit for each of said magnets.

4. A signal mechanism comprising in combination, two concentrically-arranged cylinders forming a lamp-casing, a lamp, lenses arranged in alining openings in both of the cylinders, curved glasses situated within the annular chamber formed between the two cylinders, levers pivoted upon a common spindle and arranged to carry said glasses, an armature secured to or forming a part of each of said levers, and an electromagnet for op erating each armature.

ICO

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lar chamber formed by the two cylinders,

said glasses being movable into and out of alinement With the lenses of the casing'.

6. The combination with a locomotive and a link mechanism, of apair ofrock-levers 42, 43, having at their lower ends contact-rollers for engagement with contact rails between the main track-rails,ashaft 44`to which rock-levers are pivoted, a shaft 45 connected to 0r forming part of the link mechanism of the locomotive, cranks 52 and 53 secured to said shaft, and links 54 55 connecting the outer ends of said cranks to theupper ends of the rock-levers 42 and 43, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' FREDERICK E. WEINEL.

.Witnessesz F. S. APPLEMAN, GEO, H. CHANALEE. 

